Apparatus for the production of zinc, copper, or other metals by electrolysis.



M. PER'REUR-LLOYDL- I APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF zmc, COPPER, OR OTHER- METALS BY EL gcTnoLvsls.

Patentefi Aug. 7, 191?.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 915k 1,235,723?

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

MLPERBEUR-LLOYD. APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ZINC, COPPER, OR OTHER METALS BY ELECTROLYSIS.

I APPLICATION: FILED MAY 24. I915. 1,235,723, PatentedAug. 7,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEE T 2Q rarnnr MARGEL PERREUPFLLOYD, 0F BOULOGNE-SUR-SIEINE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO MARIE VICTORINE BAILL'Z, WIDOW GARIN, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOB/THE PRODUCTION OF ZINC, COPPER, OR OTHER METALS IBY ELEC- TRGLYSIS.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,243.

To all whom it may concern." I

Be it known that I, MARCEL PERREUR- LLOYD, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Boulogne-sur-Seine, Department of Seine, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Zinc, Copper, or other Metals by Electrolysis, of which the following is a specification.

In order to obtain by electrolysis the deposit of metals free from rugosity and assmooth or glossy as possible it is desirable, as I have explained, especially in the specification of my application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No. 30,242, dated- May 24:, 1915, relating to the electrolytic production of zine, to have means adapted to secure as far as possible a smooth and even deposit.

The present inventionprovides apparatus for attaining this result and which will be seen from the following description of apparatus embodying the invention and from the claiming clauses, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionof the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail view on a larger scale of the driving mechanism at the left hand end of the shaft Fig. 1. a

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4 w1th the pulley removed.

Fig. 6 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal view likewise on a larger scale, of the mechanism for actuating the rubbing pads.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the axis of this operating mechanism of Fig. 7. q

' Fig. 9 is a plan thereof.

Fig. 1O is a cross section of Figs. 8 and 9 taken on line M M. Fig. 11 shows a detail of the mounting of the rubbers on their longitudinal rod.

Fig. 12 is a detail of the rod for'carrying I the rubbing pads.

Fig. 13 shows another detail.

Fig. let shows separately in face new the cam device for operating the pad carrler rod.

The apparatus forming the subject of the invention, and which is suitable for the electhe features ofv trolytic treatment of all metals, especially zinc, copper, etc., comprises a vat or tank A, preferably rectangular, which contains the electrolytic liquid and the electrodes. The cathode C is cylindrical and adapted to be rotated. It is surrounded by the anode which envelops it almost entirely and which is itself formed intwo parts, a lower part D and an upper part E fitting into the lower part. By this arrangement only the upper part of the anode needs to be removed when it is required to withdraw the cathode cylinder C. The anode is formed of rods a of lead or other conducting material, such as carbon or cast magnetite, capable of withstanding anodic actions and attack. The rods a are united to the solid conductors or plates D E which are cast in molds in which all the rods a have been put in place before running the metal. This arrangement of rods disposed in several rows and in stagered order, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, has

or efi'ect to increase considerably the surface of the anode, that is to say the surface of depolarization, while allowing of a free circulation of the electrolyte around the rotary cathode. The parts D E in which the ends of the anode rods 0; are held are stayed 1 together at their upper part by intermediate bars I) and the end angle bars 0 c which rest on the upper edges of the tank A, so that the anode is freely suspended in the electrolyte.

The anode leaves a space F at top which has a twofold purpose; firstly it allows of withdrawing the sheets of zinc or other metal deposited on the cathode when they have become sufficiently thick, without necessity for removing the upper part E of the anode or shifting the cathode cylinder C; secondly this space F is also intended to permit of the longitudinal motion of the apparatus which serves for removing the bubbles of hydrogen that always tend to mersion in aldehyde, acetone or other analogous substance. The rods 6 of these rubbing intermediate 1 5 i carrier sleeves g' upon it, without'necessity hood of the shaftl that carries the cylindrical cathode C and o-imparts longitudinal movement to the rod 40 G between the v fitting the'said balls or knuckles.

v occupied by the worm raisedor lowered to a The drive or attack of v fore variable.accordingfito the position of" theeccentric stud o",

" movement the sides'ofthat v acts on the end P certain play for the dr v j consequence of this; arrangement is that the starting and terminating points-of-Ithe tank A transmitted to the rod: G

. ing with a worm wheel 50 the result of which is that the pads 7 do not move between the same points and thus enpads are held by sleeves 9 made in two parts I tire outer surface of the metal deposited on (see Fig. 11) clamped together by bolts 7a.

The sleeves 9 next to the inner walls of the also serve for connecting endto end' the -elements or parts of this pad carrier rod G- (see the detail Fig. 12). This rod is in. factfformed ofthree parts or sections, an

portion G situated in the interior of the tank, and-two end parts G Theend sleeves g unite these difierent parts together. When these end sleeves g are dis'-. mounted, the intermediate portion of the rod G is separated and this portion can then be withdrawn from the apparatus with the pad successively; without this, striations would Joe'formed on the metal deposited on the cathode, and due to the rubbing pads always stopping and starting at the same places. The cylindrical cathode is formed of a cylinder Gr the ends of whichrest on two into the, hubs 20 on the other. -v Each of these hubs (see the detail Fig. 4:) has on e the inner side a screw threaded v receive the threaded end of the intermefor difimounting these polishing pads indi-"v diate portion I of the shaft; at the outer vidua y v The polishing pads f are recipro'cated on the upper surface of the metal deposited on the cathode, bymeansof the'rod G on which they are all carried, this movement is by a bell crank lever z" 2' the shorter arm 71 of which ends in a ball or knuckle 7' connected by a link-like member in the form of acylinder 3' to another ball or knuckle j x *1 The lower ball 3' is in-ifixed connection with a frame '0 (see Fig. 14) which turns a cam is fast on a shaftm mounted in 'a spe-, cial support H arranged in the neighboris formed a screw-threaded hole g toreceive the end of a stud or end shaft mem ber P which fits accurately in the conical bearing g so that this stud or end member the inside shaft ,ll. V The same mounting of the shaft is eifected at the two'ends; each st'ud or end member 1? passes through a stufing box 1 the end of one of them carries the driving pulleyM, and behind said pulleythis stud I or end member issupported in a ball hearing I connectedby upper arms 1' to a plate r bolted on the walls of the chamber A. The other stud or member Pat the other end of the apparatuskcarries the pulley J which imparts the movement to the rubbing pads. The end plates of the two ball bearings T at the endsofthe cathode'shaft, and which are in fact covers. closing the said bearings, are fixed to these 1 boxesI respectively by below the rod G that car ries'the rubbing pads; The two shafts I and v m are connected'by pulleys Jandgll- (Fig. 3). The rotation of the shaft m imparts motion by means of its cam is to the frame v pivoted at m, and the ball end 7' of-the frame and consequently to thepads carried "on; this .rod. The cylinder 7' contains "atthe ends (see thesection Fig. '13) hearing meinbers 2 z with spherical recesses or seats, andballsf or knuckles and 9' isfitted in the cylinder a'cylindrical bearing member Z with spherical recesses or seats bolts-s (see Fig- 5) and have'arms or'lugs I s? with hooks or pins to r eceive the ends of brushes bear on the studs or end shaft members 1 and: lead the current from the cathode G, the current passing to the anode by therods c -(lFigs. l'to 3 t he small shaft on carries a worm o'gear- 03. carrying an ec-j which .the bellcrank lever centric "stud o on' 7 According to the position 1 easily understood [When the circuit is '2 i ;1S plV0t6d.i

, closed: the current enters ormly by the wheelo the stud o -isfv supports "of the Zanode's, is; "distributed greater orlessextent. f throughout the :mass'of the anodeland'passes the pad carrier rod Gr. out by' the cathode; and-'the-ibrushes y at by the arm '2' o'f'theball crank lever is there;

I being then to the, cathode; byv the and .to allow of lthis. pully lwfthe-plillfl the opposite end the fork of, the rm, .zgermine-pane i I i of G G- arefformed bylthe pulley grooves or slots allowing a? iver pin it, The" .t li he sh f the Worm on; this shaft,- rotates :Lthe worm? wheel a carrying eccentric pivot'ofl thefresult of with elongated thetbell,crank lever i i and therefore the v oint of" attack of 'therod Gr ofthe rubbing .pads. -i At the same the shaft m causes longitudinal reciprocatlng movement of the rod G are continually modified or jvaried,

socket to.

s very solidly fixed in linement with 1. thetwo' ends I v oftheicathodefshaft, motion 1 the cathode is rubbed, cleaned and polished V prings K carried by arms pscrewing at their ends into the rings K on the one hand and side this hub has a conical bearing or seat g smooth inside, and at the inner end of which springs u which act on the, hooked ends of 1 arms a carrying the brushes 3 these I nTheoperation of this apparatus-will, be

imparts rapid" motion i ',w'hichxis to varyicontinually'the position of f the cam k to turn in the pivoting frame 4;, the terminal ball or knuckle 9' of which acts on the bell crank lever 2 '5 Thus a reciprocating movement is transmitted to rubbing pad carrier rod G, the position of which is continually varied so that the pads uniformly rub the surface of the zinc deposited on the cathode, without leaving striations.

The apparatus above described. may be employed for the electrolytic deposition of any metals other than zinc; in particular it may serve for the-production of sheets of electrolytic copper.

Claims:

1. Apparatus for the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a tank and a rotary cathode, a shaft on which said cathode is mounted, and means for supporting said cathode shaft, said means comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to the side of the tank, having a stuffing box in the wall of the tank for preventing liquid passing out around such shaft, and having outside of said tank beyond said s'tufling box a bearing adapted to support said shaft. 7

2. Apparatus for the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a rotary cathode, means for rubbing on the cathode, and means for imparting an irregular movement of said rubbing means lengthwise of the cathode.

3; Apparatus for the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a rotary cathode, means for rubbing on the cathode, and means for imparting an irregular movement of said rubbing means lengthwise of the oathode, said means comprising a reciprocating rod, a lever for reciprocating said rod, and means for varying the fulcrum of said lever.

4. Apparatusfor the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a rotary cathode, means for rubbing on the cathode, and means for imparting an irregular movement of said rubbing means lengthwise of the cathode, said means comprising a reciprocating rod, a lever, and a pivotfor said lever mounted upon a part and having an eccentric movement.

5. Apparatus for the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a rotary cathode, means for rubbing on the cathode, and means for imparting an irregular movement of said rubbing means lengthwise of the oathode, said means comprising a reciprocating rod, a lever, and a pivot for said lever, said pivot being mounted eccentrically upon a shaft, a drive shaft having means for driving said shaft carrying the pivot, and means on said drive shaft for oscillating said'lever.

6. Apparatus for the production of metals by electrolysis, comprising a tank and a rotary cathode, a shaft on which said cathode is mounted, and means for supporting said cathode shaft, said means comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to the side of the tank, having a stufling box in the wall of the tank for preventing liquid passing out around such shaft, and having outside of said tank beyond said stuffing box a hearing adapted to support said shaft, and brushes mounted upon said brackets, and adapted to bear upon said shaft, to conduct current from said cathode.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARCEL PERREURLLOYD.

Witnesses:

DE W. C. PooLE, Jr.,

RENE BARDY. 

